Democratic National Convention

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulskiwill have a speaking role at the Democratic National Convention, aides said Wednesday. The Maryland Democrat, who this year became the longest-serving woman in congressional history, will lead a program highlighting the record 12 women running this year for Senate. “In this historic election, with more Democratic women running for Senate at one time than ever before, we have a tremendous opportunity to elect women and hold the Senate for Democrats,” Mikulski said in a statement.

Well, it appears that The Sun, the Democratic Party Journalistic Tool, is in full gear. During the Republican National Convention, The Sun carried front page convention coverage only the day after Mitt Romney spoke. Otherwise, coverage was inside the paper. But for the Democratic National Convention, front page coverage began a full two days prior to the convention and has continued every day since. In addition, articles have appeared in The Sun which, for instance, extolled President Barack Obama as the great conciliator between the Democrats and Republicans (never mind his "us" and "them" divisive rhetoric)

Baltimore's bid to play host to the 2004 Democratic National Convention ended this week when party officials scratched the city from a list of five contenders. New York, Boston, Miami and Detroit remain in the running. The Democratic National Committee had invited Baltimore to compete for the event. But its site selection committee ultimately decided that the city lacked the necessary hotel and convention space, Mayor Martin O'Malley said yesterday. "It was a learning experience for us. What we learned is our convention center needs to be bigger and we need some more hotels," he said.

One in a series of profiles of Maryland delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Jennifer Hosey was 7 years old the first time she volunteered for a presidential campaign — stuffing and stamping envelopes for Bill Clinton's 1992 run. She has volunteered in every election since. The Potomac resident, now 27, grew up around politics. Her mom was a longtime Democratic Party volunteer. As a student, Hosey was always looking for ways to do more for the party. This year, she is attending her first national convention and, as a delegate, formally casting a vote for President Barack Obama's nomination.

By John Fritze and Matthew Hay Brown, The Baltimore Sun | September 3, 2012

When Gov. Martin O'Malley takes the stage at the Democratic convention to give the most important speech of his political career, he'll have to deliver on one deceptively simple goal: He'll need to make people want to hear more. As an increasingly polished speaker and in-demand message man for his party, O'Malley will have an opportunity in Charlotte to solidify his standing as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. He'll also get the chance to redeem himself from the last time he stood on a convention stage eight years ago and flubbed it with a speech criticized as pretentious.

By David Folkenflik and David Folkenflik,SUN TELEVISION WRITER | August 16, 2000

Notes from the Underwhelmed: There has been much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments here in the print biz about the dearth of coverage of the major parties conventions on network television. With the burst of cable news stations, the wall-to-wall programming of C-SPAN, and the extensive coverage provided by PBS, the real question becomes who's providing the best quality, not simply how many hours are on the air. A chance to find out came Monday night, when President Clinton delivered his swan song and Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed party delegates in Los Angeles.

The Democratic National Convention, which gets under way today in Chicago, promises to be a real snooze-a-thon, even less interesting than the Republican convention earlier this month. But out intrepid cartoonist KAL has come up with 10 ways theDemocrats can get America to watch:

Which fairy tale was Susan Reimer reading? ("Al and Tipper: They break up, we suffer," June 7.) I cannot imagine spending even one chapter with the wooden, monotoned and artificial Al Gore. His life is about accumulating great wealth and living like a prince. That awkward kiss at the Democratic National Convention obviously turned Albert into a frog. May Tipper live happily ever after. Kathy Novak, Towson

BOB HATTOY, 56 Gay, lesbian advocate Bob Hattoy, an advocate for gay and lesbian issues who accused former President George H.W. Bush of doing nothing about AIDS during a speech at the Democratic National Convention, has died in Sacramento, Calif., of the disease. In 1992, just after learning he had AIDS, Mr. Hattoy delivered the DNC speech. "I don't want to die," he said. "But I don't want to live in an America where the president sees me as an enemy. I can face dying because of a disease, but not because of politics."

Twenty-one months down, eight months to go in the long, long race to the White House: 645: Days since former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, became the first Democrat to file an intention to run for president with the Federal Election Committee (May 31, 2002) 461: Days since de facto Democratic nominee, Sen. John F. Kerry, threw his hat in the ring (Dec. 1, 2002) 307: Days since the first Democratic presidential debate (May 4, 2003, the earliest ever) 25: Number of states and territories yet to hold primaries $145.

For someone as partisan as Gov. Martin O'Malley, it seems strange that his party's most partisan affair - the Democratic National Convention - has, historically speaking, not been especially friendly territory for him. At the 2004 Democratic convention in Boston, then-Mayor O'Malley delivered a full-throated endorsement of presidential nominee John Kerry. The speech is now remembered for its exaggerated rhetoric - "America the beautiful, whose alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears; oh, my friends, to govern is to choose" - and delivery.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley offered pointed criticism of Republicans in an address to the Democratic convention on Tuesday, arguing that President Barack Obama is best suited to right the U.S. economy while GOP nominee Mitt Romney's policies would only move the nation backward. The Democrat said Obama's policies have helped the middle class despite recession and stubbornly high unemployment - to a crowd that chanted with him, "forward, not back. " Though he never mentioned President George W. Bush by name, the address was clearly an attempt to tie Romney and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan to the former GOP administration that ended a second term with low approval ratings.

By John Fritze and Matthew Hay Brown, The Baltimore Sun | September 3, 2012

When Gov. Martin O'Malley takes the stage at the Democratic convention to give the most important speech of his political career, he'll have to deliver on one deceptively simple goal: He'll need to make people want to hear more. As an increasingly polished speaker and in-demand message man for his party, O'Malley will have an opportunity in Charlotte to solidify his standing as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. He'll also get the chance to redeem himself from the last time he stood on a convention stage eight years ago and flubbed it with a speech criticized as pretentious.

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulskiwill have a speaking role at the Democratic National Convention, aides said Wednesday. The Maryland Democrat, who this year became the longest-serving woman in congressional history, will lead a program highlighting the record 12 women running this year for Senate. “In this historic election, with more Democratic women running for Senate at one time than ever before, we have a tremendous opportunity to elect women and hold the Senate for Democrats,” Mikulski said in a statement.

Which fairy tale was Susan Reimer reading? ("Al and Tipper: They break up, we suffer," June 7.) I cannot imagine spending even one chapter with the wooden, monotoned and artificial Al Gore. His life is about accumulating great wealth and living like a prince. That awkward kiss at the Democratic National Convention obviously turned Albert into a frog. May Tipper live happily ever after. Kathy Novak, Towson

It is a tradition at the Democratic National Convention that the home states of nominees get special attention in Denver, Colo. Yesterday morning, the floor location of the now-mighty delegation from Delaware - home state of vice presidential pick Joe Biden - got moved to the front of the Pepsi Center. "We're in awe of the fact that little old Delaware is playing a major role," said Delaware Democratic chairman John Daniello. Daniello called Delaware a "good picture of the rest of the country," with its mix of big cities (Wilmington)

Count the Votes may again become Florida's unofficial motto if the state's delegation is not seated at the Democratic National Convention this summer. The decision by the Democratic Party to ostracize the delegations from Florida and Michigan (after both states bucked party rules and moved up their primaries) has the locals here wondering what they've got to do to get some representation in the tight race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Wednesday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued a joint declaration calling on the national Democratic Party leaders to do something to assure the two states participate in the party's nominating process.

CHICAGO -- As her parents stress family values as a Democratic campaign theme, Chelsea Clinton is emerging from four years in a White House cocoon as a poised, smiling, curly-haired, political asset.Her braces are gone. Her gawkiness has been replaced by a grace gained through years of ballet. Her shyness has been shooed away by a life full of strangers.She is 16: old enough to drive and date; a senior at Sidwell Friends School; and now a presence at the Democratic campaign.Cameras focused almost as much on Chelsea as on the first lady TTC during Hillary Rodham Clinton's speech to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night.

Count the Votes may again become Florida's unofficial motto if the state's delegation is not seated at the Democratic National Convention this summer. The decision by the Democratic Party to ostracize the delegations from Florida and Michigan (after both states bucked party rules and moved up their primaries) has the locals here wondering what they've got to do to get some representation in the tight race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Wednesday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued a joint declaration calling on the national Democratic Party leaders to do something to assure the two states participate in the party's nominating process.

Washington -- Being a superdelegate to this year's Democratic National Convention in Denver may not be so spectacular. In the past, the high-ranking elected officials and party officers, free to vote for whomever they wanted at the convention, were most notable for snagging invitations to the best receptions or securing prime seats on the floor. But it now looks as if the votes of 796 superdelegates may determine whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton becomes the party's standard bearer.